shogi

This game, also known as "Japanese
chess", is related to international chess
and xiàngqí, but it is in many respects
quite a unique game. It does have many
pieces analogous to chess, such as pawns
and knights, but it has its own set of
pieces, such as generals and lances - and
this is not the most peculiar aspect of
this game at all. In shogi, pieces can be
promoted, acquiring more powerful moves,
enemy troops can be captured and used by
your own army, and you may even recruit
new troops in the heat of battle. We
truly recommend this game if you want to
discover a new dimension to chess and to
develop some new and unique
strategies.

An excellent game for 2 players, with
an approximate duration of 40 minutes.

History

The Indian game of chaturanga was developed
around the 7th century of the Common Era and is
recognized as the ancestor not only of shogi and
international chess, but also of innumerable
other variants all over the globe. It has
bifurcated into a Western and a Northern branches
– this last one giving origin to Chinese xiagnqi
and others. It is believed that at some point in
the 9th century, or perhaps a little earlier, the
game has crossed the channel to Japan, where many
variants emerged.

Two shogi variants from the Heain period are
noteworthy, known as dai shogi (big shogi) and
sho shogi (small shogi). The first one used a
13x13 board, and each player controlled an army
of 34 pieces. The second one, which is the
ancestor of the modern game, is a simplified
version, with 8x9 or 9x9 boards, with each player
controlling 16 to 18 pieces (with no bishops or
rooks).

Sadly, although we do know these games were
similar to the modern version, the complete rules
did not survived to this day. We also don't know
when the drop rule was inserted, but the
consensus is that shogi probably acquired the
modern rules and mechanics around the 16th
century.

Shogi has enjoyed so much prestige in Japan
that its master title, Meijin, was at a time
inherited, just as a nobility title. For the
brief moment after the World War II when Japan
was under American rule, there were attempts to
banish the game along with other traditions
deemed feudal. The game has deep cultural roots,
though, and not only it endured but flourished in
the 20th and early 21st centuries.